Outcast Queen: Her Return from Hell novel Chapter 261

Phoenix walked into the venue with her arm linked through Pierce's.

She hadn't wanted him to attend with his injuries, but the man insisted he wouldn't miss a "good show." Phoenix couldn't dissuade him, so she let him have his way.

Still, since they were here, they might as well make the most of it.

With the infamous "Reaper of Cloudhaven" holding down the fort, even Alistair would have to tread carefully. Although the Prescott and Sterling patriarchs were old friends, Pierce always acted on his own whims and gave face to no one.

The moment the two appeared, the crowd's attention instantly locked onto them.

Phoenix wore an elegant, flowing dress, a faint, poised smile playing on her lips. Beside her, Pierce was dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit, his posture straight as a pine, exuding a suffocating, commanding presence.

"Grandfather."

Before Alistair could speak, Phoenix struck first, walking up to greet him.

She affectionately took the older man's arm, her face displaying the perfect amount of guilt. "Things got a little unpleasant last night and disturbed you. It was my fault."

Alistair raised an eyebrow, quickly masking his expression with a benevolent facade. He patted Phoenix's hand, his tone gentle but shrewd. "Phoenix, I know everything. This time, it was indeed your father who was foolish."

Saying that, he glanced at Warren, who stood slump-shouldered in the center of the room, his gaze turning stern. "Don't be afraid if you've been wronged. I will stand up for you."

"Grandfather, I knew you loved me the most." Phoenix smiled sweetly, seemingly without any grudges. "I've already spoken to Pierce. I asked him to do it for my sake and not target the Prescott Group. After all, Warren's mistake is his own doing. It shouldn't drag everyone else down, nor should it damage the business empire you worked so hard to build."

This soft approach was exactly what Alistair wanted to hear.

He had intended to use this opportunity to put Phoenix in her place and dull her sharp edges, but to his surprise, the girl took the initiative to show goodwill, giving him a perfect out. If he applied pressure now, it would only make him look like an unreasonable grandfather.

"Warren, listen to this! See how sensible Phoenix is? Why do you insist on making things difficult for her?" Alistair struck his cane hard against the floor, looking thoroughly disappointed.

"I was wrong, Alistair," Warren said, his head bowed, his voice dry. "I shouldn't have used such extreme methods to... discipline Phoenix."

Though he admitted fault, a toxic resentment churned in his lowered eyes.

"Alright, since you realize your mistake, apologize to Phoenix, and we will consider this matter closed," Alistair sighed.

With that, he turned his head toward the head of the table. "Alistair, am I wrong?"

Alistair's face turned incredibly ugly. He glared fiercely at Phoebe, then turned back to Pierce with an appeasing smile. "Pierce, then what do you suggest we do?"

Pierce's lips twitched into a smirk. When his gaze shifted to Phoenix, it instantly melted into a pool of deep affection. "Since Phoenix married into the Sterling family, she is the lady of the house. She represents the Sterling family's honor."

His tone shifted, the underlying threat finally revealed. "I want ten percent of Warren's shares transferred to Phoenix. That's not too much to ask, is it?"

Alistair's pupils contracted sharply. Warren only held twenty percent of the shares in total. If half were taken away, his position as CEO would become incredibly unstable.

Phoenix looked at the man beside her in mild surprise.

Today, he was acting like an unreasonably overprotective husband. He was willing to offend Alistair just to secure the maximum benefit for her.

Although she had mentioned this last night, if she brought it up herself, Alistair would definitely suppress her using familial guilt. But now that Pierce had spoken on behalf of the Sterling family, the nature of the demand was completely different.

Right now, standing behind her wasn't just Pierce, but the entire Sterling empire.